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SAN DIEGO - Tiger Woods, back in action after a five-week break, overcame a second successive day of wayward driving to take control of the Buick Invitational.
Two off the pace overnight, the world number one forged four strokes clear with a sparkling seven-under-par 65 in the second
round at a sun-drenched Torrey Pines.
Woods piled up seven birdies in a bogey-free display on the North Course, the easier of the two par-72 layouts hosting the fourth event on the PGA Tour.
That left him at 12-under 132, ahead of American rookie Kevin Streelman who birdied the last for a 69 on the longer South Course to secure second place.
Australian Aaron Baddeley was a further two strokes back at six under after a 67 on the North Course.
"It was the same thing as yesterday, low left and high right," Woods told reporters of his tee shots after finding only six fairways out of 14.
"I've got to get that organised. When I tried to steer it out there today it wasn't very good."
Despite his struggles off the tee, Woods covered his back nine in four-under 32.
Playing his first tournament since winning last month's Target World Challenge, he collected his first birdie of the day at the par-four 13th after hitting his approach to six feet.
He then conjured a miraculous par save at the 15th where he overhit the green with his second shot and ended up in spongy rough just short of the putting surface with his third.
Although his ball had settled down in the grass a couple of yards off the green, he calmly chipped into the hole to spark a loud roar from the gallery.
Woods, bidding for his sixth title at Torrey Pines, rolled in birdie putts from 18 and 12 feet at the 16th and 18th to reach the turn in three-under 33.
He picked up another shot at the par-five first before holing out from 12 feet to birdie the second and fourth and stretch his lead to three.
After parring the next four holes in bright sunshine, Woods signed off with another birdie at the par-five ninth where he coolly sank an eight-footer.
The halfway cut was projected to fall at one-over 145 with former major winners Geoff Ogilvy, Rich Beem and US Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger among those in danger of missing out.
- REUTERS